The Oval Office: Kiwis attempt to take credit for Wales' running game

A newspaper editorial here has seriously misfired. On the subject of ‘boring and stodgy Northern Hemisphere rugby, exemplified by England’ it continued: 'Look at the state of Wales. From Graham Henry to Warren Gatland, the Kiwi influence over the Welsh game is finally paying off. Their running game is exciting stuff.'

Yeah, because Wales never used to play running rugby before the Kiwis arrived.

The cheek of it: Kiwi press claim All Black influence has led Wales' improvement

No yobs harboured

Rugby crowds have been on their best behaviour at this World Cup with only 25 arrests made at the 40 pool matches, which were attended by more than one million fans.

Wellington recorded the most arrests — 12 in the six games there — but the North Harbour can boast the nicest fans (no arrests after four games).

Shame some of the players can’t follow the example of good behaviour.

Not so secret lock-in

There was a bizarre scene at England’s training session when journalists were locked inside the stadium for once.

IRB rules demand a 15-minute window is made available for reporters to watch a chunk of training but teams are understandably cautious about revealing any secrets in that time — usually reserving it for stretching.

For once, Fleet Street’s finest were locked in, not out.

Going nowhere: The press were locked into England's training session

Breaking it down

The Pocock-Brussow ‘breakdown-off’ is hotting up ahead of the South Africa-Australia clash. It is a head-to-head between the best flankers in the game.

As fellow Wallaby flanker Rocky Elsom said: 'Every inch of ascendancy you can gain at the breakdown is crucial. It provides front-foot ball for your attack and that is an enormous part of the game.'

Don't forget Dan

The organisers will be under heavy pressure to ignore their own rules if New Zealand lift the Webb Ellis Cup on October 23.

Only the 30-man squad on the day of the final receive winner’s medals, meaning the efforts of injured fly-half Dan Carter in the pool stage would be ignored and the best player of his generation could retire without a gong.

Dan's the man: Carter is facing the prospect of not picking up a medal

Sapolu sidelined

Samoa’s Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu has been suspended from all rugby after failing to attend a misconduct hearing for his latest offensive tweets.

The Gloucester centre accused ref Nigel Owens of all sorts of nonsense.

Judicial officer Jeff Blackett has asked the player to give another date and until then he cannot play in the Aviva Premiership.